


The Garden

by anpara



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Adult Content, Emotional Tether(s), F/M, Fluff, Force Dyad (Star Wars), Mild Smut, Romance, Slow Burn, Slow Burn Rey/Kylo Ren, Soul Bond, Soulmates, South, Southern charm
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-06
Updated: 2020-07-13
Packaged: 2021-03-05 01:48:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,078
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25116394
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anpara/pseuds/anpara
Summary: Reylo Prompt: Rey wanders away from her group for a short spell to sit in the old mansion's garden for some literal fresh air.  This "weekend getaway" has been a disaster, and maybe the disappointment is too obvious on her face - a tour guide on his break between groups asks what's wrong.
Relationships: Rey & Ben Solo, Rey & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Rey/Ben Solo
Comments: 7
Kudos: 35





	1. Wandering

**Author's Note:**

> Not quite sure what turns this will take! It's my first time writing for AO3, but for now, enjoy cute modern age Reylo!

She won’t lie, this was not quite the trip she thought it would be. When Rose said her, Jannah, and Rey would be taking a girl’s weekend trip, she failed to mention most of the trip would be spent touring old mansions with no air conditioning in sight…and in 100-degree weather. Rey had wandered off from the group tour a few moments ago when their tour guide announced that they had a few minutes to roam before starting the tour of the upstairs. She can’t deny that the mansions they have been touring are more than beautiful. The architecture alone would make even the coldest heart fall in love. The massive golden and crystal chandeliers in every room, the finest china that she has ever seen laid out on display. Simply put, these homes were otherworldly. She wonders about the people who labored in the hot sun to construct these massive homes before modern construction machines. 

The grand sweeping staircase of this home alone could make your imagination spin, and for a small moment, Rey imagined herself at the top, in a glorious gown, looking down upon a beautifully tall, dark-haired man waiting for her at the bottom. Of course, that would never be the case now, she reminds herself as she looks down at her simple white sun dress painted with a few floral designs for pops of color.

She moves passed the staircase and into a living area, again, beautifully filled with period furniture just like you would see in the movies. A few people from the tour group are mulling around the room. One woman has a small electric handheld fan blowing her hair around and Rey suddenly remembers how stifling it feels to be inside. She moves through a small doorway and finds herself in a kitchen. This is probably the simplest room of the entire house. Not much to see except an old barn sink that is as deep as Rey’s entire arm, a couple of baskets strategically placed to make the kitchen look “lived in” or rather “cooked in”, and a small vase filled with beautiful pink and purple flowers. As she moves closer, her eye catches more colors outside blowing in the breeze.

A beautiful garden filled with all different types of colorful foliage sits just outside the kitchen window. The breeze blowing through the leaves is just enough to send Rey over the edge. She pushes open the door that leads outside and she finds herself on a little stone pathway leading to a single wooden bench among the plethora of colors. The breeze feels amazing on her sweaty skin and Rey is reminded how happy she was with her decision to wear a sleeveless dress. She saunters over to a small lonely bench under a toweringly large rose bush and takes a seat. Letting out a big sigh, she allows herself to sink down into the bench even further, enjoying the little patches of shade that cover just enough of her face to make this heat slightly bearable. 

Rey looks around and thinks of how she ended up here in the first place. She’s 26, newly single after her 4-year engagement came to a deadly halt just 6 months before her planned wedding. This girl’s trip was supposed to be a distraction, but all she can seem to think about is how she is going to have to restart her life all over again once they return home. Rey is so deep in thought, she does not even realize that someone has sat down on the bench next to her, rather closely too, considering the size of the bench…and the size of this man. 

“Penny for your thoughts?” He questions. “You seem distressed. Are you not enjoying your tour?” He sound disappointed in her. 

Rey blinks a few times, snapping herself back into reality, and looks to her left. There sits a gentle looking, dark haired man, almost like the one she had imagined only moments ago inside by the staircase. He’s wearing a navy-blue button-down shirt, with the sleeves rolled up just above his elbows. Rey’s gaze lingers on his bicep, covered by this shirt that is seemingly too small, for it can barely contain his massive arms. She then moves her gaze across his large chest and sees a name tag. Before she can process what it says, she realizes it’s been several moments since his question and all she has done is stare at this mysterious human. 

“Oh,” she lets out a small laugh that’s more like a sigh, “The tour is so lovely, and this house is absolutely gorgeous.... it’s just that I wish they had installed some air conditioning when they refurbished it, you know?” She wipes sweat from her hairline, sure she looks utterly disgusting after touring the old town and multiple mansions all morning. The man furrows his brow.

“You know, the whole charm of these refurbished mansions is that even though they are spruced up, we don’t change the main format of the homes. They’re meant to feel authentic, right down to the fact that they most certainly did not have air conditioning. A true luxury of the 21st century!” He sound sounding outraged by her joke. He’s motioning at the vast home and Rey feels she has made a huge mistake. 

“Oh, I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean any ill will at the home, like I said it is so magnificent! I think it’s great that they homes are kept in the original condition. The authenticity is amazing, and each room is amazing, and this garden is amazing and…” She realizes she’s babbling to a total stranger and her voice trails off. He laughs. The sound travels through a small breeze that slaps Rey in the face. The tone of his laugh lingers in her ear and she wonders why it sounds so familiar. 

“I’m only kidding!” He puts his hands up in defense. “You’re right these houses are…amazing,” he laughs again, and it sends a chill to her brain. “But on days like today, even I wish we had installed some kind of air circulation in there.” He smiles at her. It’s soft and sincere, and again, familiar, almost like she had seen it in a movie once…or maybe in her dreams...a smile lost in the depths of her subconscious. 

“I’m Rey.” She reaches her hand across the small space between them. He shifts forward and she can see his name tag clearly now. It reads Chris.

“Nice to meet you Rey, I’m-” She cuts him off.

“Chris, right?” she smiles thinking cute and clever she is. He looks at her confusingly.

“No…I’m Ben. But I guess you can call me Chris if you’d really like to!” He lets out a quiet laugh. That beautiful, small, familiar laugh that she just cannot seem to pinpoint.


	2. Stares

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben and Rey exchange long stares on a small bench and fantasize equally about one another.

“Oh gosh, I’m sorry! It’s just, I read your name tag and I assumed…” Her voice trails off and she’s not sure if it’s the scorching sun making her skin burn or her embarrassment. She is pretty sure it’s the latter.

“My…” He looks confusingly down at his chest pulling his shirt away from his skin. He looks embarrassed. “Oh god, I completely forgot I had this on! See I work for the tour company and I forgot my name tag today, so they have stash of unisex name tags in a bag like Taylor or Sam, or in this case: Chris.”

“Oh, I see.” Rey lets out a relieved laugh and resettles into her seat.

***

Ben’s 11:30am tour was finally over. It wasn’t that he didn’t enjoy his job. He loved the rich history of the homes he toured and the grand architecture that could supersede any modern-day building, but it was days like today that made him wish he worked in a nice cold office job that forced him to wear a sweater all day even when its 110 degrees outside.

Normally, on his lunch hour, he would head back to the main tour building about half a mile away from the mansion, but since he was running late this morning, he hadn’t had time to pack anything if he wanted to make it to work on time. In lieu of lunch, he thought he would take a stroll through the vast garden behind the home where his next tour would be. The tour groups don’t usually go through the gardens, so he hoped to get some peace and quiet and to rest up before his next group started at 1:30pm.

When he turned the corner heading to the back of the home, he was surprised to see a woman sitting deep in thought on the singular bench among the flowers. The sun hit her tanned skin just right that it made her long legs glisten. His eyes continued upward as the lace hem of her dress sat just slightly above her knee, exposing the smallest amount of her thighs. Moving further up he notices how small her waist is, and for a moment he finds himself thinking what it would be like to wrap his arms around her waist and lift her over his shoulder. The thought passes like a shooting star as his eyesight narrows in on her face. Soft checks, freckled nose, glowing hazel eyes he could spot from a few feet away as the sun hit them at just the right angle, but something was wrong. Her eyes were unhappy, deep in thought somewhere far from this place.

As Ben moved closer to the bench, he assumed the woman would notice him, he’s rather large so really it would be impossible for her not to see him. However, to his surprise, he takes a seat opposite of her on the bench and she hardly even flinches. She’s just staring intensely at a bushel of pink hydrangeas. Something about the woman seems familiar. Perhaps she reminds him of someone he once knew. Maybe Mary Sue Kimber from high school, although that did not seem to fit properly. This woman was far too beautiful to go by the name Mary Sue. A few moments passed as Ben stared at her from across the small wooden bench. She looks like she needs a distraction, and Ben is happy to oblige.

“Penny for your thoughts?”

***

“So Ben the tour guide, where’s your tour?” She smirks at him slyly.

“Well actually I’m on my lunch break right now, my next tour starts at 1:30.” He explains. “What about you, Rey the tourist? Where’s your tour group, hmm?” He sends her back a sly smile that makes Rey feel something warm in the pit of her stomach.

“Well my tour guide sent us on a small break before we started the tour of the upstairs, but it was just so stifling inside, I had to get some fresh air.” She checks her watch and frowns. Somehow 10 minutes has already passed. “I didn’t realize I was sitting out here this long, they’ve probably already started without me.” She says, half relieved she doesn’t have to stand through 15 more bedrooms, living rooms, and bathrooms that all house their own fireplace.

“I’ll let you in on a secret,” He reaches his hand and places it on the small space between them and leans in towards her, “The upstairs is 10 times hotter than the downstairs.” He leans back to his side of the bench and laughs as he runs his massive right hand through his luscious black hair. For a minute Rey imagines her small delicate fingers combing through this stranger’s hair, slowly moving to grip the back of his neck…she shakes the thought out of her mind. Fantasizing about a stranger! Who is she? It must be that the heat is getting to her. Suddenly, she realizes how thirsty she is, probably in more ways than one.

As she leans forward, the sunshine hits her face reflecting off of something to her left and she notices Ben has a black hydroflask on the far end of the bench next to him. Rey’s mouth grows dry. It feels almost like she’s been wandering around the Sahara Desert all day, when really, she’s just been touring mansions in Savannah Georgia all morning. Ben turns and looks at his water bottle. He lifts it from the bench and passes it across his body towards her.

“You seem thirsty.” He laughs as he gestures the top of the bottle to her. “Would you like some?”

“Are you sure? We are complete strangers and I know some people may be weird about sharing drinks with strangers.” She pauses. “It’s just that it’s literally been 100 degrees since we left our hotel at 8am and I did not come ready for this weather.” She thinks about how stupid she was to think one simple Poland Spring water bottle would sustain her through an entire day of touring with Rose, the itinerary queen ,and Jannah, her trusty planning side kick.

“No, no, please, I understand. Not everyone is as adjusted to the heat as I am.” He again gestures the bottle towards her, and she grabs it gently, trying to not appear as eager as she really is. She happily unscrews the top and presses her lips against the cold metal rim. Before the water even reaches her lips, her tongue is met with another taste. It’s like a mixture of spearmint gum, cherry Chapstick, and something else she can’t quite put her finger on. Her mind wanders for a split second as she imagines this is how he would taste if she were to lean across this bench, closing the small space between them, running her fingers through is thick black hair and wrapping her arms around his neck. Her minor fantasy is washed away as she is jolted back into reality by the sensation of ice-cold water hitting her lips, much quicker than she had expected, while it also managed to escape the sides of the bottle and drip down her chin and onto her dress.

Rey tries her best to wipe up the water off of her face and neck, but she knows how ridiculous she must look to this man, who now that she thinks about it, seems at least 10 years older than she. She gathers herself, puts the lid back on the water bottle in defeat, and sheepishly hands it back to Ben, barely making eye contact. She can’t see, but he is smiling. Not in a laughing at her kind of way, but in a soft gentle, almost endearing kind of way. As she focuses on the paint chips of the bench, Ben reaches out to grasp the bottle from her hand. His fingers brush slightly against hers and it sends an electric shockwave through her entire body, causing her to look up.

Their eyes meet. She’s not quite sure what’s happening, but one thing she is sure of is that he too couldn’t stop whatever it was. She stared into his glowing brown eyes, like a mix of thick honey and smooth bourbon. She could drown in them, and for a moment she almost did. Then, her phone vibrates in her purse, causing her to break their gaze. Rey fumbles through her purse and finds a message from Rose sent to their group chat.

_Rey, where are you? Is everything alright? We started the upstairs tour 20 minutes ago._

20 minutes?! Rey is going to have a lot of explaining to do later when they get back to the hotel.

**Hey! I’m alright! So sorry I missed the start of the tour, I went outside for some fresh air and I guess time just got away from me.**

_Well alright as long as you are okay! I’m sure you can still join if you want! Although, I’m not sure you’ll be able to find us, this house is MASSIVE._

**Don’t worry about it, I’ll find you guys when the tour is done! Just give me a call. I might just find myself back in some air conditioning though ;)**

Rey clicks her phone screen off and turns back to see Ben has risen from the bench.

“Looks like we have a little more time. Let’s go find you some air conditioning.” He reaches his hand out for her to join him. The thought of grabbing his hand fully almost frightens her, considering what just a brush of his fingertips made her feel. She smiles at him from below and reluctantly reaches her hand forward and places it in his.

Rey isn’t a small girl, but something about placing her hand into his made her feel absolutely minuscule. He grips her hand tighter as she stand up from the bench, she rises making sure to adjust her dress with her free hand. His grip loosens but does not let go. Standing next to him, her hand still gently placed in his, she finds herself feeling particularly petite. Ben, standing at about 6’3, towers over her. His shoulders so broad and his arms so massive, he looks like he could crush her in one small squeeze.

“Ah, sorry, um…” He lets go of her hand and he watches as it drops dramatically at her side, which brings his line of vision back to her waistline, which makes him again think of what it would be like to wrap his arms around that tiny waist of her. He thinks of how it may feel to properly hold her tiny hand and wander down a busy street on a summer evening on the hunt for the best peach cobbler in town. He shakes away the thought, knowing she is simply a tourist and probably wouldn’t stick around for more time than she planned. “Air conditioning is this way.” He states quietly, still slightly embarrassed about holding her hand just a few beats too long.

He smiled that oh so familiar smile of his and Rey is sure she must have known him in another lifetime.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!  
> Feedback is always appreciated! :)


	3. Bold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben, who’s hand has just touched the door, turns around to find Rey so close that if he reached his hand forward just enough, he could touch her perfectly soft face. 
> 
> “If I do end up staying a few extra days,” She begins. Ben wonders excitedly what is about to fall out of her mouth.

Ben had no intention of walking back to the main building, he knew his next tour began in 20 minutes, but he also could not shake the feeling that he needed to be near this stranger for as long as he possibly could. As they walked back towards the building, they made casual conversation. She told him she was from the “less than magical” state of New Jersey and that she was visiting Savannah for a long weekend with some friends. Ben cannot help but wonder if there was something more on her mind when she mentioned home and that this trip was not her idea. He could hear the distain dripping off her lips as she spoke of returning home.

“Even though it is obscenely hot here, I wouldn’t mind staying a little bit longer than just this weekend.” She says while kicking a small Dandelion and watching the pieces scatter into the air around her.

“So why not?” He questions as innocently as he can, trying not to seem too willing to find a reason to make her stay longer than anticipated.

“What?” She turns to him and the sun shines just behind his dark hair, making him look like an angel in disguise on Earth. Her heart flutters for the briefest moment.

“Why not just stay a few extra days…explore the city the way _you_ want to. There’s much more to this place than old hot mansions you know.” He hopes what he says will sway her mind and make her think about staying. He imagines she stays. Asks him to be her personal tour guide. They spend a day carefree visiting small shops around town, sharing ice cream, and maybe touring a gallery to enjoy some art _and_ air conditioning.

“I mean, I should probably go home…I have some things I’ve got to take care of.” Her voice wanders off with the breeze.

“Oh, like a cat?” He jokes trying to lighten her mood.

“Well more like a failed wedding that I worked so hard to plan for…but also a cat.” She laughs quietly, unsure why she has decided to tell this stranger about her recently sad life story. Although, the more time she is in his presence, the more she feels he isn’t a stranger at all.

“Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that.” Ben responds sympathetically. “His loss, you know?”

“Yeah...” She says, squinting into the sunlight.

They continue their walk to the main building silently. Ben opens the door, as any good Southern gentleman would, and Rey responds with a small smile and a kind “Thank you” before walking inside. The cold air hits her hot skin like a thousand shards of glass. It is so cold it almost hurts, but she is happy to be out of the sun, even if it is only for a little while. Rey checks her phone to make sure Rose or Jannah haven’t texted her, they have not. She breathes a sigh of relief as she plops herself on a bench near the gift shop. Ben stays standing, towering over her as he did earlier in the garden, and it is quickly becoming a view she would like to have much more often than she would admit out loud.

“Well Rey,” He says, “It was so lovely meeting you. Sorry you missed the rest of your tour.” He winks at her and her insides flip upside-down. “My next tour will be starting soon so unfortunately; this is where I leave you.” He notices Rey’s quick look of disappointment before she readjusts. She stands up from the bench, her face just at his shoulder level.

“Yes, I wouldn’t want to keep you from doing your job!” She smiles at him and he feels his cheeks getting warm despite being in this freezing air. “It was so nice meeting you, Ben.” She extends her small hand.

He mimics her movement and they exchange a longer than necessary handshake. As they stand there silently, under old florescent lighting, Ben notices now a small scar on her cheek, hidden slightly by the freckles that extend off her nose and dance slowly away as they scatter evenly over both cheeks. He feels a strange sensation, like he wants to lift his hand to her face, stroke her perfectly freckled cheek and push back a small stand of hair that has fallen forward and begun to curl. He imagines her skin is soft, as soft as her lips appear now that he’s found focus on them. He desperately wishes he had anything to say but words have suddenly escaped him.

Rey stands in awe of this man. His features, strong but soft. His brown eyes dripping with a look of familiarity. His lips formed in the most subtle type of pout, that she is sure he does not realize he is doing. She wishes there were something she could say to make him stay with her while she waits for her friends. She could spend the rest of her life delving into those pools of bourbon honey eyes, waking up next to that strong chin and tussled hair. She abruptly lets go of his hand. She should not be thinking of something like this right now. She has to mourn her lost college sweetheart and her ruined wedding with her soulmate…Poe was her soulmate, right? Regardless, there’s no reason she should be starting up some short weekend romance with this beautiful raven-haired stranger.

He clears his throat, turns away, and gives her a subtle wave goodbye. She returns the gesture and sits back down in defeat. It was not right, to be thinking this way, was it? Was this man sent to her as a distraction from her sorrows? Was she meant to meet him on this hot afternoon, alone? Was he sent from actual heaven itself to save her on that bench and pull her out from the depths of her own worry? Suddenly, without even thinking, her body stands itself up and quickly jogs across the room.

“Wait?” She speaks almost as if it is a question.

Ben, who’s hand has just touched the door, turns around to find Rey so close that if he reached his hand forward just enough, he could touch her perfectly soft face.

“If I do end up staying a few extra days,” She begins. Ben wonders excitedly what is about to fall out of her mouth. “It would probably be beneficial to know someone who knows all the best things to do in town, right? Guess I should have your number in my phone just in case.” She smiles softly at him as she hands her phone over the space between them. He is shocked by her boldness, not that it is uninvited of course.

Ben takes the phone from her hand, inputs his number, and passes it back to her. He is trying to play it as cool as he possibly can, but his mind is flying around his skull with thoughts of her hand in his, her lips sipping a cold sweet tea before leaning across a table to kiss him, her body breathing softly next to his. He smiles at her.

“See you around, kid.” He turns to the door and walks back outside to the sweltering heat.

***

“So Rey, what did you do while we finished the tour?” Jannah asked as she lifted a French fry into her mouth.

The girls finally reunited after about an hour of Rey sitting alone and wandering around the main building and the gift shop. It was about 5 o’clock as they sat together at a small table outside a quaint restaurant under a pale pink umbrella that provided shade from the still scorching hot sun.

“Oh you know, I just enjoyed the air condition,” She laughed, “and bought a magnet from the gift shop.” She gestures to her small brown gift bag reading “Skywalker Estate” in beautiful cursive with an emblem in the middle that felt strangely familiar to Rey, almost in the same way that that mysterious tour guide Ben felt.

“Oh come on, you couldn’t have been alone that whole time!” Rose exclaims, taking a sip of her margarita. “We’re in the south! Are you seriously going to tell me no one spoke to you? These people would talk to a wall!” She giggled as she set her drink down. “To be honest, I love it! Everyone here is so friendly, unlike back home.” She rolls her eyes. Rey and Jannah chime in in agreement.

Southern charm was a real thing, Rey had experienced it firsthand with Ben. Although, everyone here was almost _overly_ friendly. She was used to the quick pace of the North, people pushing passed you in a grocery store when you take 2 seconds too long to decided which type of milk you want to buy. People here were kind, respectful, had manners, and common human decency. However, as much as she enjoyed their kindness, the slow pace of life here was just not for her. She cannot deny she loves the hustle and bustle of her daily commute to New York City for work. She does not mind strangers yelling at her on the street, she enjoys silently pushing passed other office workers and tourists on the way to her office where she sits for 8 hours editing articles until they are just right and ready to be published.

“So are you going to tell us who talked to you while we were gone?” Rose nudged her from across the table. It seemed as if she would not be getting out of this one, so she might as well just tell them of mysterious Ben the tour guide.

“Fine.” She says letting out a sigh. “I had gone outside to get some fresh air, because it was just so sweltering inside, and as I was sitting on this bench, I was just thinking about everything that has happened in the past 2 weeks, I didn’t even notice this large man had come and sat down right next to me-” She was interrupted by Rose and Jannah squealing.

“A man?!? Was he cute?” Rose inquires.

“Was he tall, dark, and handsome?” Jannah says with a slick smile.

“Did he woo you with his Southern charm?” Rose teases as she rests the back of her hand on her forehead dramatically. Rey shoots them both a teasing look and continues her story.

“He was a tour guide for the estate. Really kind actually, he saw I was thirsty and let me have a sip of his water, which thankfully was ice cold because I literally thought I was going to faint!” She exclaims.

“I bet if you did faint, this mystery man would have caught you before you even hit your head!” Rose giggles. Rey rolls her eyes deciding it is probably best to leave out the weird familiarity and sense of comfort she felt with this stranger.

“Well anyway,” She continues, “He walked me back to the main building, we talked about simple things really, but he seemed really attentive to what I was saying and…” She stops to take a sip of her margarita.

“And what?!?” Both Rose and Jannah say eager to hear the end of her story.

“Well, we parted ways and then something in me just switched and before I knew it, I was up running across the room, handing him my phone, and asking him for his number.” Rey covers her face embarrassed by her own actions.

“You did not!” Jannah says taking a bite of another French fry.

“Rey Johnson!” Rose says loudly, “You go girl!! Get it!” Rey shushes her as people have now turned to look at them. Another thing about the South is that they were all very proper and _quiet_ , where Rey and her fellow Northerners were very _very_ loud.

“Well I guess the real question here is, what are you going to do tomorrow? Because I know it’s not tour another estate with me and Jannah.” Rose laughs knowing Rey has not truly been present during their day trips this weekend.

“What? Tomorrow is our last day here! I’m not going to leave you guys!” Rey exclaims.

“Girl, you have more important things to _do_.” Jannah winks at her, “That is, if you play your cards right.”

Rey’s mind wanders back to the thought of running her fingers through Ben’s hair, but this time her mind creates a full scene. She’s standing next to him, the smell of fresh coffee fills the air, she’s wearing a black long sleeve sweater with a small hole in the side, he’s wearing nothing but a pair of black sweats, his arm curls around her waist as her fingers get tangled in his long black hair and –

“So, are you going to call him?” Rose says as she throws a small fry at her from across the table. “Because if you don’t, I will! He sounds like a Southern dream boat.”

Rey had not decided yet what her next move would be. Although she thinks Rose and Jannah have made that decision for her. She takes out her phone and searches “Ben”. The contact comes up “Ben the Tour Guide”. Rey smiles as she hits “message”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Will Rey stay in the South longer than expected? Will Ben be her personal tour guide? Will she ever get to run her fingers through his hair? Stay tuned!  
> Feedback always welcomed :)


	4. Plans and Anticipation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wait, was this a date? It can’t be. He’s just a local showing her around the town like any good Southern tour guide would offer. A very tall, very beautiful tour guide, who has hands the size of who even knows what. Hands she wants to feel pressed against her body.

The rest of Ben’s day went along as any other day would. He finished up his tours for the day around 5pm, grabbed his things from his office, and headed home for the evening. On his drive home he received a call from his mother, Leia. She calls him every day after his shift to check in and make sure everything is running smoothly at the estate. She has not been able to be around as often as she would like to due to health purposes. Over the years, Ben has become the main man in charge of all things pertaining to the estate, that being touring, ground keeping schedules, and fellow employees’ paychecks to name a few. He does not mind though; he enjoys giving tours and sharing his family history with others. Today, he thinks he is particularly grateful for his job, and to think he almost did not come into work this morning.

After he hangs up the phone, he spends the rest of his ride home in silence, although it is hardly silent in his mind. He is still thinking about the woman he met in the garden. The way her hair fell against her face, the way the sun hit her tanned skin, how small her waist looked in that beautiful white dress, how she even looked cute after she spilled all that water on herself. She had asked for his number, yes, but the likelihood of her actually staying in Savannah was seemingly slim. Taking into account that she also had a broken engagement to deal with at home made the idea of her staying nearly impossible to believe. He did not expect his phone to light up for the rest of the evening.

He pulled into the driveway of his townhome and heaved a sigh of relief as he put his car in park. He pulls his bag from the passenger seat and proceeds inside. His home is a perfect mix of Southern charm and modern-day design. His white granite countertop was home to custom woven baskets gifted by his mother and filled with a variety of fruits. On the walls of his home hung various pieces of art he had collected over the years. Some abstract with a multitude of colors wiped onto the canvas, and others that depicted more scenic places that produced a feeling of peace and serenity when stared at for long enough.

Ben places his bag down on the kitchen table and pads over to the refrigerator. He opens the door and pulls out a beer from the back of the bottom shelf. He pulls a bottle opener from the drawer next to the fridge and wanders back over to his living room. There he plops himself down onto his black leather couch and turns the TV on. He spends a few moments channel surfing before he reluctantly settles on a cooking show, background noise really, as he tries to refocus his brain on reality.

This afternoon certainly was not real, it could not have been. Why was he feeling this strange pull to this woman? Something about her did seem oddly familiar. Her voice was angelic and calming. Her hands were soft and kind, and when he held them, even for those brief moments, he felt as though that too was a familiar sensation. It gave him a strange feeling of home. Like her hand was made to fit in his, which is an absolutely ridiculous thing to feel, wasn’t it? It is not like Ben has not been with women before this, or that he has never met strangers on his tours who interested him, but there was just something about this one that felt different. He found himself picking up his phone and typing into a Google search bar “Rey, New Jersey”. 6,000 results found. That was dumb, he should not have even tried it. He clicks his phone off and settles his eyes back to the TV as he takes a few sips of beer.

A few minutes pass by and Ben is now on the couch his eyes slowly beginning to shut as he has finished his drink. Suddenly his eyes pop open at the sound of his phone vibrating next to him. He looks at the screen. A text from a 973 number. He feverishly fumbles to open his phone to view the message.

_Hi, it’s Rey, from the garden! Looks like my plans for tomorrow fell through. Would you happen to be free?_

Ben blinks a few times to make sure his eyes were not playing tricks on him. He mulls it over in his mind for a minute or two as he constructs a response.

 **Hey there!** He types before backspacing the text.

**Hey, glad you reached out. I actually am free tomorrow. Did you have anything in mind?**

Good not too eager but also available he thinks to himself. He stares at the screen and watches intently as the typing bubbles appear, then disappear, then appear again only to quickly disappear once more. He sighs. He should have just made the plan; she does not know anything about this town. He places his hands to his face and pulls down in distress of his mistake. His phone vibrates again.

_I’m down for anything that has air conditioning ;)_

Ben smiles as he pulls up an address to attach with his next message.

**Meet me here. Tomorrow at 1. Come ready to drink and have fun, in air conditioning of course.**

_Ooh sounds perfect :) see you then!_

Ben reads the message and clicks his phone off, smiling at himself for being such a good planner. He places his hands behind his head and lifts his feet onto the coffee table in front of him as he relaxes into his seat, excited with the thoughts of what tomorrow brings.

***

The girls uber back to their hotel around 9PM, chatting about plans they’ll make together when they return home. A sting of reality shoots Rey in the heart as she remembers home. The last few hours spent talking about Ben made her almost forget all the awful things she will have to handle when she gets home, one being returning everyone’s wedding gifts from the bridal shower Rose hosted for her last month. Another awful moment will be returning to her empty apartment, alone. Once a place that brought her so much joy, now only causes her heartache. She thinks back on small things, like when Poe first moved in. She recalls how his toothbrush stood next to hers on the bathroom countertop, and how his various coffee mugs began to slowly take over her kitchen cabinets as if he was buying a new one every week. Yes, it will be the small moments like that she thinks she will miss the most. She also knows what she will not miss. She will not miss the fighting that ensured between them, the verbal abuse, from both sides, and the half assed apologies that followed. She won’t miss being woken up at 3am as he stumbled home from the bar smelling of alcohol, cigarettes, and on occasion, women’s perfume. Of course, he denied ever _really_ cheating on her, but Rey cannot bring herself to truly believe that.

“Hello, Earth to Rey?” Rose is waving her hand in front of Rey’s face. She is standing outside the car with Jannah. She did not even realize they had already arrived at their hotel.

She fumbles around the floor for her purse and quickly pulls herself out of the car, apologizing to Rose and Jannah.

“Too busy thinking about hot mystery man?” Rose teases.

“Actually, I was thinking about Poe.” Rey says matter of factly.

Rose and Jannah exchange a look of sympathy.

“You know we are always here to talk about it Rey,” Jannah says as she reaches for her hand, “You haven’t really told us much of what happened, and that’s fine you can tell us when you’re ready!” She assures her. Rey smiles softly.

“Thanks,” She starts, “I’m sorry I’ve been sort of distant this trip. I really do appreciate you two and all you’ve done for me. Not just now, but always.” Rey wraps her arms around both Rose and Jannah.

They head inside and prepare for bed. They all have a big day ahead of them tomorrow. Rose and Jannah will be starting their last day of touring bright and early, which will leave Rey to sleep in for once this weekend. It will also give her time to mentally prep for her date with Ben. _Wait, was this a date?_ It can’t be. He’s just a local showing her around the town like any good Southern tour guide would offer. A very tall, very beautiful tour guide, who has hands the size of who even knows what. Hands she wants to feel pressed against her body. And beautiful hair she can only imagine is much softer than her own, which makes her mind wander to the thought of what that soft hair looks like waking up on a lazy Sunday morning with the sunshine creeping through a set of clean white curtains.

Rey soon drifts off into a deep sleep and dreams of waking up next to Ben in the morning. She dreams of morning snuggles with her face resting on his large chest. She dreams of a cold wooden floor under her feet as she rises to take a shower. She feels hot water hit her skin, and something else as well. She feels soft hands caress her hips as they slowly begin to wrap fully around her while rain of the shower water continues above them. Her dreams smell of lavender soap, spearmint toothpaste, and fresh coffee. She smiles through her dream and anticipates tomorrow being a much needed, fun day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm going to be working the next couple of days so more chapters to come this weekend!  
> Hope you enjoyed! Feedback always welcomed :)


	5. The Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “So Rey, tell me about yourself.” His tone is less of a question and more of a demand, but Rey does not mind it at all. In fact, she welcomes it. 
> 
> “What would you like to know?” She smirks at him as she picks up her cup and take a sip of her drink, very much tasting the amount of alcohol present in her small mug. 
> 
> “Everything.” He gives her a soft look and she thinks she may melt into her seat and right onto the floor. 

Rey was woken up to sounds of the bathroom sink running and zippers of suitcases closing as Rose and Jannah prepared for their day out. Rey kept her eyes shut and pulled the puffy hotel comforter over her head in disbelief that it was already the morning. She had been perfectly content dreaming of Ben last night but now, the thought of seeing him in reality makes her wish she did not have that second margarita that gave her the courage to text him. 

A few minutes pass before Rose and Jannah softly say goodbye and wish her luck on her date later. As the door closed behind them, Rey shifted in the bed to read the clock on the bedside table. 8:30am. Far too early to actually be waking up, but unfortunately it did not seem that she would be falling back asleep anytime soon, so reluctantly she pulls herself out of bed and into the bathroom. 

There, she stares at her morning reflection. Her light brown hair in a slightly knotted mess, some mascara from the night before had smudged at the bottom of her left eyes, and her skin desperately needed to be cleansed. She turned the shower on and stepped in when the water was warm enough. As the warm water pelted her skin, she was reminded of her shower dream featuring Ben. She blushes at the recollection and tries to push it out of her mind. She must stay rooted in reality today. What if he really was just a good-hearted Southern tour guide who wants to show her around town. Has she made up this entire connection in her own mind? She could not have. The pull she felt to him in the lobby when he walked away from her was undeniable. It was like she was not even in control of her own actions. That had to have meant something. Still, she wonders if it is too soon to be diving back into the dating scene. Her and Poe had been together for years, they were getting married, had talked about raising a family, should she really be moving on so quickly? The more she thinks about it, the more it does not really feel like moving on at all, actually, it feels more like coming home…

***

Ben wakes early, as usual, around 6am. He rises quickly from his bed and heads to the gym. He was never an early morning gym type of guy, but after his last break up 2 years ago, something in him just snapped and he felt the need to really focus on himself and his health. The women at his gym did not seem to mind when he started making morning workouts more a part of his daily routine. He had been hit on many times but never truly pursued anything. Plus, if he did, and they were to break up, he would have to find a new gym, and Ben liked this one just fine. 

As he finished up and headed back home for a shower, he thought about the day he had ahead of him. There was no way to predict the way that this date would go, if that is even what he is going to call it. All he could do now was wait and see how the events of the day would pan out. Of course, there are certain things he is hoping to get out of today. For one, he cannot stop thinking about holding her hand, and not just to help her up from a bench this time. It seems strange that this would be what he is most looking forward to, but there is just something about the way her hand fit in his that has been sitting weirdly with him in his mind. As if, at one moment in time, it had already been there. Like they had already lived an entire life together. The touch was familiar but unique in its own right. The smallest touch of hands had sent his body into complete shock and now Ben can only imagine how other physical connections may affect him. 

He arrives home, sets his bags down on the floor of his foyer, and heads upstairs to the shower. As he turns the hot water on and steps in, he lets the warmth consume him. His mind wanders. He envisions waking up late on a Sunday morning, Rey next to him in his bed, wrapped up in his black cotton sheets. She wakes with a soft smile and reaches over to brush the hair from his face. Pulling herself closer to him across the mattress, she wraps her arms around his neck and peppers kisses across his face, only to linger on his lips for a few extra moments before breaking away to look him in the eyes. Of course, this is not real, Ben has to remind himself as the shower rains down on him from overhead. This scenario may never come to fruition. The only thing he can do now is make the best of whatever today brings. 

***

As 1 o’clock grows nearer, Rey becomes more and more anxious. Is she making the right choice? Should she ever be doing this at all? Maybe she can just call and cancel. _No_. She tells herself. She is going to do this. She deserves this. No one is saying that anything real is going to come of today, but the best she can do is accept it for what it is and go out and enjoy herself before she makes her reluctant return back North. As she shifts through her clothes in the closet, she chooses a floral sundress with a halter neckline that showed just enough cleavage to still be classy and an open back that showed off her well-toned muscles. Cute but still subtlety sexy, she thinks. She pairs it with a pair of white sneakers to dress it down and a pale pink purse. She grabs her phone, orders an uber, and heads downstairs. 

Ben had sent her an address of a local distillery, which was probably good because she thinks she is going to need a couple of drinks in her to manage being in Ben’s presence again. All she can think about in the car ride over is the taste of his water bottle from the day before. The lingering taste of spearmint and cherry lip balm that sat on the brim of the bottle only made her more interested in finding out what he really tastes like. Soon enough, she is thinking about his perfectly pouty and kissable lips and finds herself hot and bothered by the idea of them while she sits in the back of this uber. Today was going to be a very long day. 

When the car stopped, Rey spots Ben sitting on a bench outside of the distillery. He looks slightly nervous as he is fumbling with his hands, almost as if he feels out of place. He is wearing jeans and a white button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, just how Rey liked it from the day before. He smiles and stands when he sees her step out of the car and up onto the curb. 

“Hey!” He says smiling and walking towards her. She almost forgot how massive his exterior is. “Glad you found it okay.”

“Well I didn’t really find it, my uber did.” She laughs as she awkwardly as she adjusts the bag on her shoulder. Should they hug? _This is weird_. She thinks noticing the strange amount of space between them. 

“Right of course.” He laughs too, easing her nerves slightly. “Ready to head inside?”

Rey nods as she walks forward. Ben steps ahead of her to pull open the door. She thanks him and continues inside. He places his hand on her lower back and it sends a shiver up to her neck and down to her toes all at once. 

“This way.” He says calmly as he moves her to the right. “There’s some tables over here we can sit at and look at a menu.” He brings her to a high-top wooden table with two seats, making sure Rey is the first to be seated. He then sits himself down across from her, picks up a menu from the side table and hands it to her. They discuss the many options of cocktails and spirits before they both fall silent trying to decide what they want. Rey settles on a specialty mule but does not announce her decision just yet. She looks up from her menu and observes Ben. He is leaned over the table, almost like a little kid, arms folded in his lap, head slightly bobbing back and forth trying to decide which drink to order. Something about him was so enticing and intriguing. His tall brooding physical appearance just did not seem to match his soft and gentle personality. From a first glance, one could see how he would be interpreted as intimidating, but the conversations she held with him yesterday were so effortless. She literally told him about her broken engagement, and she had only known him for maybe 20 minutes. Something about him made her feel as if she had known him her entire life. He made her feel like they were just two old friends catching up. 

The waiter swiftly walks over to take their drink orders and soon returns just as quickly with them in hand. Ben ordered an Old Fashion, which seemed to fit him well. Rey watched him slowly wrap his hands around the cold glass and before she knew it, she was wishing he would wrap his hands around something else. She is unsure as to why an action so small would have such a large effect on her mental well-being, but there she is, watching this massive man sip his drink, wishing it was her lips he was pressed against instead of the glass. He interrupts her thoughts as he places his glass back onto the table.

“So Rey, tell me about yourself.” His tone is less of a question and more of a demand, but Rey does not mind it at all. In fact, she welcomes it. 

“What would you like to know?” She smirks at him as she picks up her cup and take a sip of her drink, very much tasting the amount of alcohol present in her small mug. 

“Everything.” He gives her a soft look and she thinks she may melt into her seat and right onto the floor. She pauses for a moment, collecting herself and her thoughts before she comprises a response. 

“Well I work for online magazine company in New York City, but as I said yesterday, I live in New Jersey. I don’t really mind the commute, it gives me time to think and edit some things before I get into the office, which is always nice.” She smiles, unsure if that is enough information to please him. He seems satisfied and she continues. “What about you Ben…uhm,” She covers her face in embarrassment, “I’m just realizing I don’t know your full name.”

“Solo.” He smiles at her from across the table. “Ben Solo.” He takes another sip of his drink and tilts his glass toward her. “What about you, Rey…?” He inquires raising his eyebrows. 

“Johnson.” She responds. Ben takes a mental note, in case he ends up googling her again in desperation after she inevitably disappears from his life. “So, Ben Solo, how long have you worked for the Skywalker Estate?”

“Well,” He begins letting out a sigh and adjusts in his seat, “Some would say my entire life actually. Skywalker is my mother’s maiden name, so technically the house is mine. Well I guess it’s hers and my uncle Luke’s for now, but recently they’ve put me charge, more than I’d like to admit.” He picks at a chip in the edge of the table. 

“You mean to tell me that house is your _family_ home? That’s amazing!” She says as she lifts her drink to her lips but quickly places it back down. “Oh god, now I feel awful about speaking so poorly about it yesterday!” Ben lets out a laugh as he reaches his arm across the table to touch her hand.

“It’s not a problem, like I said yesterday, everything you said was correct. It’s very beautiful yes, but it is also very hot, especially in the middle of July.” He strokes the top of her hand with his index finger.

Rey’s focus in on his hand, gently placed over hers. It’s an innocent touch really, but it sends a wave of warmth through her body. She suddenly gets an urge to dramatically push everything off of the table that separates them and thrust herself across it and in onto his body. Unfortunately, she cannot do that, at least, not at this very moment. Definitely up for debate later, depending on how many more of these drinks she gets in her. 

***

Ben and Rey spend the rest of the afternoon and early evening talking about their lives while enjoying a few more drinks. Ben shares that he has a degree in art history from Clemson University. Rey shares her degree is in business and marketing from NYU. They chat about their families; Ben’s parents being divorced and Rey growing up in foster care. The conversations flow easily and with minimal effort. They both hardly realize how much time has passed until Rey’s phone vibrates with a text from Rose, who was checking up on her. 

“Oh my god, it’s already 5 o’clock!” Rey says as she finishes her third drink. Ben in turn checks his watch.

“Time to get going then?” He rises from the table and extends his hand for hers. 

She looks at it for a minute before she grabs her purse and hops off of her high-top seat while grasping his hand for assistance. She is definitely feeling a little drunk but hopes Ben cannot tell as she tries to steady herself quickly. She assumes once she has safely placed both feet on the ground, he will drop her hand as he had the previous day, but this time, he continues to hold onto her. He shifts his hand in hers as he intertwines their fingers. A warm sense of relaxation and peace radiates through her body as he strokes the inside of her hand with his thumb. She looks up at him and smiles. 

“Where to next?” She asks, truly unsure of their plans for the rest of the evening. 

“Well, at this point, we should probably go and get you some food,” He winks at her and she feels slightly blushed realizing he has noticed her tipsiness. “Or we can go to my place and I can make you something.”

_Decisions. Decisions._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Sorry for the slowest burn in history!!   
> Feedback always welcomed! :)


	6. His Place

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You know, I’m suddenly not hungry for pasta anymore.” She smirks at him and pulls him back down to her by the collar of his shirt.
> 
> “Mmm,” Ben manages to breath out between her kisses, “What are you hungry for?” He wraps his hands her waist pulling her closer to him.
> 
> “You.” She states, sounding more like a demand than an answer.

Rey hardly believes herself as the words fall from her lips.

“Your place sounds nice.”

Is she absolutely insane? Has she officially _lost her damn mind_? Is she literally just _that_ drunk? Rey had never been the type to just go straight to a man’s home on the first date. She knows men. She’s had enough encounters to know this could only mean one thing. He wants what every other man in the world wants, her. Not to get to know her on a deeper level, not to woo her or wine and dine her until the moment is right, all they ever want is sex. Even when she was with Poe, men would pursue her in a bar, or at the grocery store, almost anywhere really. She would kindly decline, stating she had a boyfriend/fiancé, and it was almost as if that only made them want her more. Like it was some type of game and she was the winning prize, only to be won for a night, before being swiftly thrown back to the curb before morning even arrived. 

She is rather shocked to see Ben is quite similar to the corporate New York businessmen she was used to. It was not something she anticipated out of a Southern gentleman and she feels a slight pit of disappointment grow in stomach. She really did feel something was different about Ben. It was not like anything she had ever felt with Poe. All their years together seemed so dim compared to the way she felt when she was with Ben, even if she had only been around him for a few hours _. Maybe going to his place was the right move._ She did say it without thought or hesitation, which seems to be a common thing for her when she is in his presence. 

Rey realizes she has been so deep in thought she had not even noticed that they had walked to Ben’s car and he was opening the door for her to get inside. He drove a black Mercedes-Benz sports car with black leather interior. He shuts the door once she is safely inside and moves quickly across the car to the drivers’ side. He pops down into his seat and stares at Rey, who is has focused her eyes on the dashboard ahead of her, worried about making eye contact and giving him any more thoughts of what is about to happen at his house. She can feel his stare burning into her cheek. She reluctantly turns her head and their eyes lock.

“Yes?” She questions, trying to maintain a calm and neutral tone. Ben is just sitting there smiling at her. 

“Sorry,” He chuckles, “Just wanted to get a good look at you before I have to start driving.” How does he still appear to sound so innocent? Rey knows what he is probably thinking about, it is what all men think about when a woman gets into their car. 

She lets out a small laugh and turns her face back to the dashboard. Is she even mentally prepared to sleep with someone this soon? She has not been with anyone besides Poe in such a long time. What if she is not as good as she thinks she is? What if she is so awful, he literally stops midway and tells her to leave? Could he turn out to be so cold just as other men so usually are? As the car begins to move, Ben places his hand on the small part of skin exposed at her lower thigh, just above her knee. An innocent placement, she makes a mental note, and believes maybe her thoughts and anxieties have been misled. 

The radio is playing a mix of pop and country music, and Rey welcomes the noise as a distraction from her own thoughts and an excuse to not have to fill the silence of the car ride. Her hands are placed firmly in her lap clasped around her purse. They stop at a red light and Rey notices Ben strokes her leg, again, the touch feeling innocent. She begins to let herself relax a bit and reaches for his hand. She places hers on top of his and he turns to look at her. His smile lights up the entire space and she wonders why she was so nervous about anything at all. She reaches her hand under his and entangles their fingers. The light turns green and Ben moves his focus back to the road. About 10 minutes later they are turning into the driveway of his townhome. Rey takes note of its beautiful brick exterior accompanied by a lovely flower garden that is home to a variety of colors similar to those at the Estate. Before she can open the car door, Ben is already there, opening it for her and extending his hand to help her out of the car. She willfully grabs it and lifts herself up out of the seat. The small space between their bodies now feels magnetic. Rey feels a sudden urge to kiss him but is unsure that this is the right moment. Ben too feels the magnetic pull of their bodies but equally feels that the perfect moment is unclear. Instead he reaches his hand to her back and moves to the side, escorting her to the front door. 

As Ben opens the door, Rey’s eyes wander about the house. It is home to different styles of paintings on display. There are small golden star shaped accent pieces on the table in the foyer. On that same table sits a golden bowl that was filled with mail. Ben drops his keys into the bowl as well. They move upstairs to the main floor and her eyes are greeted with another piece of art. A beautiful painting of the Skywalker Estate, complete with bustling trees and explosions of colors to depict flowers beds around the home. 

“That is so lovely.” She points to the art hanging in front of them. Ben is a few steps behind but meets her at the top of the stairs and places his head near hers, standing behind her, as he admires the painting as well.

“Yes, a gift from an old friend of my family. The Organa family and the Skywalker family go way back.” She feels him smile against her skin and turns slowly to admire his beauty. 

She looks into his deep honey bourbon colored eyes and suddenly, without thought, she leans forward and gently places her lips on his. An explosion erupts from the bottom of her heart sending waves of golden heat through her veins. His lips are soft, just as she imagined. He tastes of lingering whiskey, citrus, and cherry lip balm. She keeps her eyes closed as she grips her purse tightly on her shoulder, trying to not take the kiss too far. He is still a stranger and she is still unsure she has truly read this situation correctly.

Ben stands there, slightly shocked at her boldness, but altogether welcoming of it. He appreciates a woman who makes the first move, this way he knows she feels in control in the situation, a fact that is very important to him when it comes to women. He wants Rey to feel safe with him. He has a deep gut feeling of needing to protect her from harm, both physical and emotional. He would hate to be the cause of either. Her kiss is soft and gentle, so Ben matches her emotion. He does not want to get too passionate too quickly and scare her away. It takes a lot of restrain to keep himself from lifting her over his shoulder and carrying her into his bedroom upstairs. Instead, he chooses to wrap his arms around her small waist, an imagine he has been playing out in his head for hours. He pulls her closer to him and she drops her purse to the ground as she wraps her arms around his neck. Her kiss deepens as she pulls herself into his body, desperate to be as close as humanly possible to him. She runs her hands down his shoulders and grabs at his arms. She gives a small squeeze and giggles slightly into his mouth. 

“So you obviously work out.” She smiles as she places another quick kiss onto his lips. He softly chuckles against her mouth. Rey pulls away from the kiss, her hands still gripping his biceps. “I’m sorry if that was too forward, I know we just met. I just…” She looks down slightly ashamed of her action as she rethinks what has just happened. Ben raises her chin to have her look at him.

“I have been thinking about that since the minute I sat down on that bench yesterday. You just beat me to it.” He smiles at her and she returns a soft smile. “Please don’t ever apologize for doing something you want.” 

“Okay,” she says softly, “You want to know what else I want?” She says slyly. Ben stares and awaits her response. “Some food.” She smiles and breaks away from his embrace and walks toward the kitchen. She is unsure if her head is spinning from their utterly perfect kiss, or if she really is still that drunk. Perhaps a little bit of both. Drunk off the alcohol _and_ drunk off of Ben’s wonderfully plump and soft lips. 

Ben laughs and follows her into the kitchen. She is leaning over the granite countertop with her forearms down and hands folded, waiting for him. He imagines spinning her around and lifting her swiftly onto the counter to do unspeakable things. He wants desperately to rub his hands over her bare back, but he must restrain himself again. He would never want to pressure her into something she may not want right now. He reminds himself that she has just gotten out of a very serious relationship. He chooses to lean across the opposite side of the counter facing her. 

“So what are you in the mood for, Rey?” He asks. “I can make pasta, I think I have some chicken in the fridge, I could grill you something.” Rey ponders his options and he enjoys watching her think. She slowly spins against the counter moving from one side to the opposite. She is either more drunk than he thought, or very happy. Maybe just a combination of both. She stops spinning.

“I think pasta sound nice.” She states leaning back onto the countertop. 

Ben pushes himself up and moves to her side of the counter. She turns around, her back to the edge, to face him. His body towers over her and Rey sees stars floating around his beautiful head of hair. _Yup she’s still drunk_. Ben places one hand down on the counter as the other slides around her waist, his hand settles on her bare back, and she shutters at his touch. 

“I’ll get right to that.” He whispers softly with a smile on his face. 

He leans down and places a kiss on her cheek. As precious as that made her feel, she turns her head, unsatisfied, and kisses his lips. He returns the kiss, slightly opening his mouth. She reciprocates the action as she reaches her hand up to brush against his face and place her hand on the back of his neck. Kissing Ben was like nothing she had ever experienced before. It did not make her nervous, she did not worry about what move she would make next. The kisses they exchange feel effortless. They feel right. Each kiss feels like a missing piece of her life that had suddenly been filled with the feeling of his lips on hers, his warm mouth embracing her, matching her every movement. They continue their kiss a few moments before Ben breaks away.

“Should probably start on that food.” He says releasing his grasp from her back. Rey has other plans.

“You know, I’m suddenly not hungry for pasta anymore.” She smirks at him and pulls him back down to her by the collar of his shirt.

“Mmm,” Ben manages to breath out between her kisses, “What are you hungry for?” He wraps his hands her waist pulling her closer to him.

“You.” She states, sounding more like a demand than an answer.

That’s all Ben needs to hear. Before she knows it, he grips her waist and swiftly lifts her up onto the counter, never breaking the kiss. Their faces now equal, Rey cups his face in her hands. She rubs his soft skin with her thumbs as she continues their kiss. She makes mental notes of his perfectly places moles. She feels they make him appear more human, less God-like. Although she is quite sure he may be some type of God regardless. She places one hand on the back of his neck, the other slowly sliding her fingers through his hair. It is soft and full of volume, perfect, just as she imagined it. 

Ben feels her body arch towards him as he slides her closer, careful to make sure she does not fall off the counter. His left hand still placed on her back as he moves his right hand onto her right leg. He grazes his hand from her shin up to her thigh slightly moving the hem of her floral colored dress up in the process. He places his hand on the full of her thigh as he rubs his thumb gently on the inner section, careful not to be too aggressive in his actions. Rey lets out a soft moan into his mouth as he continues to kiss her. He’s not about to have sex on his countertop, that’s not very romantic. He begins thinking maybe this has gotten too hot and heavy too quickly.

“Rey?” He manages to get out between her kisses.

“Hmm?” She responds continuing to tangle her fingers in his hair. She begins to move her lips down his chin and onto his neck. Her tongue tracing up to his earlobe where she stops and gives a gentle bite. The sensation makes warmth grow in his lower half. 

“I don’t want you to think I brought you here just for this. I know you just got out of a relationship…” He breathes through the physical reaction his body is having to her touch. She stops her kisses and Ben regrets his statement almost immediately. 

“Ben,” She breathes, removing one hand from his neck and brushing the hair from her face, still keeping her other hand entangled in his hair. “I didn’t mean to…I don’t want you to think I am some tourist girl with a broken heart looking to get laid.” She removes her hand from his hair and places both shamefully in her lap. “I’m not…I mean…what happened back home was inevitable, I’m not really sure why I chose to ignore it for so long... I just,” Ben cups her face in his hands. 

“Hey, you don’t have to tell me anything. This can be whatever you want it to be, okay? I’m sorry. I just wanted to make sure _I_ wasn’t making you feel like this was something you needed to do.” He feels stupid for even bringing it up now. Although, he would like to know more about this mysterious ex fiancé and why their wedding was called off, but he also knows that is none of his business, so he will not ask. 

She places a small kiss on his cheek, then another on his lips. “Thank you.” She smiles as she hops off the counter. Bens hand, which is still placed on her thigh, accidentally pulls her dress up as she slips off. His hand briefly brushes against what feels to be a pair of lace panties. They both blush slightly as Ben steps back, giving their bodies the unwanted space he thinks they both need right now. 

“Uhm, can I get you anything, water? Maybe some wine?” He’s unsure if she is still drunk, although she seems to have sobered up. 

“Wine sounds nice.” She smiles gently as she steps forward grasping his hand in hers, closing the space between them once more. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait! This chapter took a turn even I wasn't planning!  
> Hope yall like it! :)


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